Portable fence



- (No Model.)

W35. RANDALL,

PORTABLE FENCE.

Patented Mar. 7.1882.

mvmwon WITNESSES ATTQRNEY TER& Phoinlhhognphir. Washin mm 0.04

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM H. RANDALL, OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

PORTABLE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,504,. dated March'7, 1882.

' Application filed December 8. 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. RANDALL, of Ypsilanti, in the county ofWashtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in portablefences; audit consistsin certain details in construction and combinations of parts, as will bemore fully explained, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showingtwo panels of the fence secured together. Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view through the post, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the baseand post.

The panels A consist of the boards a. and barbed wire a, securedtogether by the braces b, with the ends of the boards a projectingslightly beyondtheendbraces,b. These panels A can be ofany desiredlength and height, and each panel is adapted to be secured between twoposts, B. These upright posts B are secured directly to the bases 0 inany desired manner, and are further strengthened by the inclined bracesD, which latter are secured to the bases 0 at one end, and extendupwardly in an inclined direction, and are secured to the posts B, at ornear the center thereof. These inclined braces D serve to hold the postsin proper position and prevent them from working loose and allowing thefence to fall when exposed to severe gales.

The bases 0 are provided with feet E, which latter are adapted to reston the ground and elevate thebases and prevent their rapid decay. Whenthe feet E become useless after continued service they can be replacedby new ones at a small cost.

F are blocks secured to the upper faces of the bases, and are adapted,inconjunction with the posts, to form seats or bearin gs for the ends ofthe panels. The space between the blocks F and the posts B is just largeenough to allow adjacent ends of the panels to lap therein without beingallowed lateral movement. If desired, these blocks F can be formedintegral with the bases 0; but I prefer to make them separatetherefrom,- as less material is required in constructing them.

G is a hook secured to the post B on a level with the top boards of thepanels, and is adapted to secure the upperends of thepanels againstdisplacement. When the panels have been secured in position a screw ornail can be driven in the post B above the hook G to hold the same downin position; but this is not absolutely necessary, as the weight of thehook alone is generally sufficient to keep it in position.

The manner of putting together one of my improved fences is as follows:The base 0, with the post B thereon, is first placed in position, carebeing taken to rest the base as nearly horizontal as practicable. Apanel, A, is then placed in position on one side of the post,with thelower board thereof resting on the base 0, between the block F and postB. If this be the corner post, the hook G is placed in position, whichprevents the panel from falling while the next post is being placed.When this next post isin position the end of the panel is placed on thebase between the block F and post B. The panel on the opposite side ofthe post is now placed in position, whichcompletely fillsthe spacebetween the block F and the post B, which holds both panels firmly attheir lower ends, while their upper ends are held in position by thehooks G. Another base and standard is now placed in position and thepanels secured thereto in the same manner.

Any suitable corner post can be used; but

by the addition of one hook G and one block F to mybase and post alreadydescribed I have a corner post suitable for all necessary purposes.

The hook G, above referred to, is adapted by its peculiar wedge-shapedconstruction to accommodate itself to different thicknesses of panelsand hold them securely in position.

I am aware that fence-panels have been secured to fence-posts by meansof two armed irons, of which one arm extends upward and parallel withthe posts, while the other arm is inserted in transverse holes in theposts. The outer extremities of these arms which are inserted in theposts are slotted to receive wedges which operate to clamp the endboards of the panels tightly between theupwardly-extending arms of theirons and the fence-posts.

I am also aware that fence-panels have been secured in position byadjustable braces pivoted to the post-standards. The said braces arearranged to extend beyond the posts and form a lock for the panels, thelower edges of which are inserted in slots formed in the sillpieces.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the base 0, having the post B and block Frigidly secured thereto, and a hook pivotally secured to the said post,of fence-panels the adjaccntedges of thelower boards of which areadapted to rest on the base between the block F and the post B, whilethe adjacent edges of the upper board of the panel are adapted to besecured by the said hook Gr, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the fence posts and panels, of books pivotallysecured to the fence-posts and adapted to clasp the panels and hold themagainst the posts, the outer ends or clasping-arms of said hooks beingprovided on their inner faces with bevels to accommodate the hooks topanels of different thicknesses, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. ALLEN, PERRY D. RANDALL.

